Being Yourself is Underrated
Maybe though, it’s been a while since you last felt yourself. Going along with everyone else is so easy that it’s hardly a surprise that so many people fall into a long-time rut and find it overwhelming to get back out. For a lot of people, this can happen at school or college, where other people define the parameters of what is likeable and what isn’t (“Whaddaya mean you like to READ? What kind of alien are you?!”). Sometimes it happens a little later when you might be struggling to make friends at the office, or feel intimidated by the ‘norms’ of social media.
At one point or another, most people have probably felt too reluctant to show a side of their ‘true’ selves, and this stems from one simple thought: what if they don’t like it?
Today, I’d like to talk about why we should embrace what makes us all different (and strangely, all the same) – our quirks, our passions and personalities – because being yourself is underrated!
Being comfortable in your own skin is not something that just happens, and it can take some of us longer than others. When I was a kid I knew what I liked and stuck to my guns, but it soon became clear that what I liked was not the same as what everyone else liked (or at least SAID they liked…). Anyone that’s ever been in that position probably knows what happens next. Despite being terribly determined (I was not prepared to pretend to anyone that I liked Steps or football…and I’m still not! See? Determination!) to be myself there was still a message that, for whatever reason, I was wrong.
Later, we realise that there is a huge world waiting after that!
The point I’m making is that at a young age, there is a risk that we will feel that the safer option is to not express ourselves. To hide the amazing things that make us unique and to feel embarrassed about admitting them. Personally, I love finding out weird and wonderful things about people – whether I’m meeting them for the first time, or uncovering fun facts about them over the years, I feel like I’m discovering treasure!
We’ll come back to that in a moment though…
Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no-one alive that is you-er than you.
Dr Suess
Life would be so very boring if we were all exactly the same, don’t you think? Picture someone that you love, or at least admire: what is it about them that has you hooked? I bet it’s something really special, right? But that’s the thing – you also have something pretty fantastic that other people would mention if they were asked the same question about you!
I like to think of these traits as our Awesome DNA.
With that in mind, I’d love to find out a little more about what makes up your Awesome DNA – the things that make you so wonderfully YOU! So that it’s a fair trade, I’ll share a few of mine to get the ball rolling:
1. I am a massive Prince fan and have been since I was 11 years old
2. If I’m not wearing a hair accessory I feel pretty much naked
3. I have been known to eat a whole tube of Pringles all to myself
4. I’m kind of clumsy. OK, very clumsy! I fall over a lot and chopping vegetables gives me THE FEAR
5. When I was a kid my hair icons were Darlene from Roseanne and Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (!!)
Phew! So now it’s over to you! Be it celebrity crushes, favourite authors or unusual pizza toppings – be sure to tell me something (or somethings!) about you in the comments below or tweet me!
I hope that today you’ll think about all the little things that set you apart from the rest, and celebrate them! And if you’ve been hiding some of them away, maybe this is a good day to start being a little braver and a little more you.
Here’s to individuality, because you’re pretty damn great.
Miss West End Girl x
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